Via Media

Greetings From Cologne

First of all, German keyboards are a pain — the z and the y are switched around and it makes me stop to think.

But it is so exciting to be here in Cologne. I am writing this in an internet cafe about 2K from the city center. There are a lot of people here, and it is so inspiring. I am part of a group from Kalamazoo — 38 of us. We have met all sorts of people from the States. But the most inspiring people are the Italians, who must have half of their country here, and they are singing, singing, singing. They even sing OUR songs — you should here them belt out Country Roads, Take Me Home, to the place I belong — WEST VIRGINIA!

We had an orientation tour this a.m., went to the Cathedral, which was packed and exciting and very holy. The reliquary of the Magi is humungous, and awe-inspiring. The universal Church is here in full force, and I am so happy to be a priest, elated to be a Catholic, and blessed to be here among these holy pilgrims. While there are a few anti-Catholic protestors, they are met with patience and charity that is a witness to the power of the love of Christ alive in these pilgrims.

Pray for me, that tomorrow I can get my credential to attend the priests´ welcome for the Pope on Friday. And tell your readers that I am praying for you and them at Mass tomorrow — St. Clemens parish in Langel, a very rural suburb south of Cologne, a town of 3500. Reminds me of Coldwater, with quainter architecture. The sugar beet fields and wheat fields remind me of home. On that note, I must move on and get a train back to Langel.

Godspeed, Father Brian! My heart is very much with everyone in Cologne. I’m hoping that as a gift to myself when I enter retirement I will be able to make a long, happy visit to my homeland.
In the meantime I’m very much enjoying the posts.

Ask your hosts if they can do a little something for English-language journalists.
You know, it’s not terribly difficult to reprogram a computer to use different keys for Y and Z. (Or change it to Windows American style). Seriously, the work of moments. Presto! A keyboard for English-language writers!
If people need a visual indication, you could even (carefully) pry up the Z and Y keys and temporarily put ‘em where you want ‘em. (But I doubt that’d be necessary.)

I heard from my husband and son a few hours ago…no, their regular cell phones don’t work, despite what the T-Mobile website says, but they do have an international cell phone with them, which they had to buy some kind of card to make it work. Besides the sound being terrible, my husband blew something like 15 Euro for a five minute phone call!
They were at the opening mass in Dusseldorf and yes, it was amazing to see so many thousands and thousands of young people there. Very loud, very vocal, very very…(the wave was done during mass…)
They are hoping to catch up with some of the Juventutem group, as that’s more their style…does anyone know any specifics? I can’t find anything on that website. I heard something about them being at a St. Antonius; is that in Dusseldorf, anyone know?
Right about now, they should be at Fr. Stan Fortuna’s concert. And I am not.

God bless Fr. Brian and all the pilgrims at WYD!! I plan to earn my partial indulgence by praying a lot for all of them.
“Right about now, they should be at Fr. Stan Fortuna’s concert. And I am not.”
I’m so sorry to hear that… why couldn’t you go? *curious* I would be there, if it wasn’t for a very bad combination of lack of money, lack of vacations from work and a little laziness on my part… *sigh*

Veronica, only because someone has to stay home with the younger kids! Being that my son is 14, we thought that it was a good idea that his Dad go with him. There are some incredible memories being created this week for them – and between them – and for that I am truly grateful. Besides, in a few years, all my kids will be old enough to go together. Problem is, by then they either won’t let me in to World Youth Anything or else they’ll have to wheel me around…
In the meantime, I am getting a huge kick out of reading all the WYD blogging…and it’s all true. My husband says it’s like CatholicWorld, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a priest, habited nuns are everywhere and kids, kids and more kids from all over the world. People are just so happy to be there.
But you know what I find most weird? That all my friends outside the Catholic world have never even heard of WYD! I’m hoping the MSM picks it up even a tiny bit to show them I’m not lying…I mean, really, 800,000++ people?!? How can they ignore that?

“Veronica, only because someone has to stay home with the younger kids! Being that my son is 14, we thought that it was a good idea that his Dad go with him. There are some incredible memories being created this week for them – and between them – and for that I am truly grateful.”
They sure are going to attract a lot of attraction when they wear Fr. Sibley’s “The Cafeteria is Closed” T-shirts! I wonder what the people from other countries will say?
“In the meantime, I am getting a huge kick out of reading all the WYD blogging…and it’s all true. My husband says it’s like CatholicWorld, you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a priest, habited nuns are everywhere and kids, kids and more kids from all over the world. People are just so happy to be there.”
Oh yes, it sure is fun to read about WYD… I have been “jumping’ as it were, from one WYD broadcast to another.Tim Drake’s posts are particularly good, he almost makes me feel as if I was there! What it’s most amusing though, is that all the reports I’ve read are very similar… people are proud of being Catholic, and inspired by the atmosphere of the place, and it’s only the beginning…
“But you know what I find most weird? That all my friends outside the Catholic world have never even heard of WYD!”
Considering how the media does their very best so that big Catholic events such as these pass by as unnoticed as possible, I shouldn’t be TOO surprised… yet I am. How does the media kind of downplay such a large event? Geeze.

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